“Today’s actions by the teachers of Detroit Public Schools is irresponsible and counterproductive to finding a solution for Detroit’s parents and students. The Senate has actively worked to present and pass a comprehensive plan for 47,000 students in need of quality education options. My colleagues and I are looking for partners, not adversaries.

This ‘sick out’ amounts to a strike. Thousands of children woke up this morning to find they could not go to school and thousands of parents scrambled to rearrange work schedules and care for their children. This act by the Detroit teachers’ union puts families in turmoil.

When Detroit teachers choose to strike it is children who suffer the most. This action makes the likelihood of reaching a long-term solution for DPS more challenging. The families who rely upon DPS continue to be let down by the union.”